Appling for Housing Benefit

John2001

Hi all


Here's a difficult situation I'm in and need advice.


I am divorced and live with my daughter in a house which is jointly owned by me and my ex-wife. My ex no longer lives in the property for several years now. I am receiving benefit PIP for mental health and am on ESA support group. I have been receiving SMI.


I now want to apply for Local Housing Allowance, (Housing Benefit.) for rent but have the following problem.


I cannot have my name on the ownership of the property if I try claiming for housing benefit therefore my ex and I have asked our mortgage lender to remove my name and transfer to hers alone. But there is a problem. It seems I first have to vacate the property if I want to transfer to my ex name. I cannot do this because of mental health issues.


However, instead of taking my name off the mortgage, I am curious to know if I SIMPLY TAKE MY NAME OFF THE DEEDS WILL THIS ALLOW ME TO APPLY FOR HOUSING BENEFIT.

poppy12345

John2001 wrote: »

Hi all


Here's a difficult situation I'm in and need advice.


I am divorced and live with my daughter in a house which is jointly owned by me and my ex-wife. My ex no longer lives in the property for several years now. I am receiving benefit PIP for mental health and am on ESA support group. I have been receiving SMI.


I now want to apply for Local Housing Allowance, (Housing Benefit.) for rent but have the following problem.


I cannot have my name on the ownership of the property if I try claiming for housing benefit therefore my ex and I have asked our mortgage lender to remove my name and transfer to hers alone. But there is a problem. It seems I first have to vacate the property if I want to transfer to my ex name. I cannot do this because of mental health issues.


However, instead of taking my name off the mortgage, I am curious to know if I SIMPLY TAKE MY NAME OFF THE DEEDS WILL THIS ALLOW ME TO APPLY FOR HOUSING BENEFIT.

You can't claim housing benefit (LHA) because you have a mortgage. Housing benefit is for those that rent their homes not for those who own their homes.

SMI is being replaced with a secured loan from April 2018. Any money you borrow will need to be repaid in the future. As you're already recieving SMI then you should have had a letter. If you haven't then you'll recieve it soon.

John2001

Yes, I know this, but my question was; if I SIMPLY TAKE MY NAME OFF THE DEEDS in relation to the property WILL THIS ALLOW ME TO APPLY FOR HOUSING BENEFIT based on the fact that I have given up rights to same property?

marliepanda

You will not get housing benefit on the house that you used to own, name on deeds or not.

You will need to either find a new home or keep claiming smi.

Caz3121

John2001 wrote: »

I now want to apply for Local Housing Allowance, (Housing Benefit.) for rent but have the following problem.

from your post it appears that you want to take your name off the house to enable you to claim housing benefit...to pay rent to ? (your ex?)

a couple of reasons this would not work
1 - you cannot claim housing benefit for a property where the landlord is your ex
2 - you cannot claim housing benefit for a property that you previously owned